Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-16
THEATRE LAST NIGHT
"a SCRAP OF PAPER" AND "nAD Al
ANARcH HARE
A Delightful fsrformancs by Our ANA
turs-A Brilliant Audiences
Present.

comedy, ga Scrap OF Paper" and
Miss Amele Rives's hughable farce,
Mad as O March Hare" The au-
dience was beautiful one, most OF the
ladies being in evening dress, and was
enthusiastic in its demonstrations OF
pleasure and satisfaction with the excel
lent way the two plays were put on the
stage. In the lowest right-hand
box sat Governor Lee, his wife, Mrs.
Phillip Hsxall, Miss Crane. OF New
Jersey, and Mrs. Meredith Montague.
Opposite them, in the lowest left-hand
box, were Mrs. Fred r. Scott, Mrs.
Barton Grundy, and the Misses Branch.
Mr.. Alfred Sully, Of New York, Mrs.
General T. NJ. Logan, Mrs. Caskie
Cabell, Miss Lille Peasants, and Miss
Mary Pegram occupied the second right
hand box, while General Joseph r.
Anderson, his wife, Mrs. Hobson. and
Miss Ceebles, Of New York, were IN
that Just opposite.
The first play was Simpsons three
act comedy, translated from the French,
"a Scrap Of Paper" In this the cast
was as follows:
Prosper Cournmont. 8. II. Pulliam
Baron dc la Giaciere. Mr.. Byrd Warwick
htiseInouche &. w. Coleman
Landed Proprietor and Naturalist
Anatole. ole.................Mr. G. L. Wortham, Jr
His Ward.
Francois MI brdncn cunningham
Aoui'e' D"' 0"''' 10 :" ' Mrs. C. C. walker
Nile. Suzanne de Rusevi'Ie.. Mrs william Allen
rs,h,,ae no' o Miss Amelie Riyes
Sister 10 Louise.
Mile Zenobie Miss V. NJ. Peasants
Sister to Br1semoucho.
Pauline. ...... .................Ars. III. A. Tabb
10 criticise amateurs is harsh and
thankless task at best, yet it is plea
sure to say that the acting OF last eve
ming, for such an occasion, disarms
criticism. And where all did so well,
it is difficult to make distinctions.
However, it must be acknowledged by
all that Mrs. Allen, in the leading fe-
male role Of the play, bore off the palm.
Her Suzanne was so natural and bright
as to thoroughly captivate her au-
dience. Her acting was rather that
of professional than of an
amateur. Her scene with the Baron
in manufacturing excuses to disarm his
suspicious Of his wife's faithlessness
was clever piece of work indeed and
at the end Of the act, when she was
greeted with storm of applause and
shower of flowers, little episode was
presented which was truly refreshing.
acknowledging the ovation she came
forward to the footlights while the cur
tain was dropping, and was left in what
would have been a mortifying situation
to many another more used to the
boards. In her unfeigned pleasure at
.he reception OF such testimonials she
made graceful an awkward position.
Miss Jennie Peasants is one of the
finest amateurs in the city. She always
acts her part with intelligence and to
perfection. Her impersonation of Mile.
Zenobie last evening was by no means
the least effective of her efforts.
Mrs. Walker as Louis" was ex-
cellent. She knows how to act and has
evidently had experience in private
theatricals
Mathilde" was beautifully por-
trayed by Miss Rives. And many a
young man last evening must have
envied "Anatole" +" his love.making to
so captivating sweetheart.
Though in the minor roie of the
servant Pauline, Mrs. Tabb showed
that she possesses decided dramatic
ability.
As the impudent man of travel,
"Prosper Courahont," Mr.. Pulliam
was very fine, and he is to be congratu-
lated upon so clever portrayal of n
difficult roic. He acts with ease, and
is always natural.
Tie casting of Mr.. Warwick for the
Baron was most happy selection, for
he played his naughty lordship to per-
feotion. Mr.. Coleman, of Williams
burg, was entirely acceptable as Brise-
mouche, while Mr.. Wortham and Mr..
Cunningham did admirably well in
their respective roles.
In the second play, a farce, "Mad as
a March Hare" by Miss Amelie Rives,
the following was the cast;
Mr.. Rodney. Mr.. Iredell jenkins.
Mr. George Davis. is............Mr W. o. SHELTON.
DR.. sawbones. ...............M .Mr. George Gibson.
Miss Lilian Beauchamp. Miss Amelie Rives.
Her Aunt.
= The farce is cleyerly written and,
while it does great credit to the charm
ing authoress, does not act as well as 1t
reads. 1t is wanting in dramatic
points and for this reason especially
are the cast Of last evening to be con-
graduated upon their very pleasing
presentation Of an entirely new play.
Miss Rives was simply charming as
Miss Beauchamp, and met with an en-
thusiastic reception. Miss Pleasants
gave great zest TO the farce by her in
imitable representation of the old maid,
"Miss Maria" The gentlemen OF the
play acquitted themselves most credit
ably. There was one character intro
duced not on the bills, and when it is
known that the entrance of Mr.. T.
Courtney jenkins, who managed the
plays, was extemporized on the mo-
ment to cover up what would have been
a disastrous "stage watt" those who
witnessed it will credit the manager
with rare fertility of invention and
nerve in an emergency.
An incident that did not go unre-
warded by applause was the energetic
call for "curtain by Prosper at the
end of the final act in the first piece.
The stage-settings were tasteful and
effective.
LADIES cosTUMRs-"A SCRAP or Pa
PER-"
Mrs. Allen, as Suzanne, wore three
exquisite costumes. The first was
white Oriental lace, caught with loops
of blue ribbon, and charming bon
net, her parasol and fan combining the
most delicate shade OF blue and white.
The second was a handsome black vel
vet, en- train, set off with crimson. The
next was an elegant dinner-dress of pale
lemon-colored silk, draped with lemon
colored gauze, and caught with cloth-of-
gold roses.
Louise Mrs. Walker) was elegantly
attired-first in rich tea-gown of wine
plush, with heavy fall Of cream lace
from throat to feet, and next in white
lace over silk. Her third costume was
white silk, with which she wore dia-
monds.
Miss Virginia Pleasants, in the rote
of Mile. Zenobie, wore a tea-gown OF
gray embossed velvet, with white lace
f.c,,f "a fbo frot x,ork Cho offararor1c